Flexible game board with ball openings

ABSTRACT

A game or amusement device utilizing a game board ordinarily held and operated by a pair of opposing players or contestants that is made in the form of a flexible band or sheet having upturned side walls along the edges of the band and having one or more holes or pockets located in the band for the purpose of capturing a ball that is jiggled along the flexible band by the actions of the opposing players. The ball is porous or hollow.

United States Patent Inventors Arnold E. Margolis;

Morris Margolis; Charles F. Foley, Minneapolis, Minn.

May 6, 1968 Jan. 19, 1971 Marson, Inc.

Minneapolis, Minn.

a corporation of Minnesota Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee FLEXIBLEGAME BOARD WITH BALL OPENINGS 9 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

US: Cl 273/115,

273/58 Int. Cl A63b 67/14 Field ofSearch 273/113,

115, 116, 117, 109, 110, (Styrene Digest), 123(Cursory), l2

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,620,191 12/1952 Barry273/123 3,069,170 12/1962 Dillon.. 273/199 3,232,619 2/1966 Burk 273/1233,251,600 5/1966 Warnberg 273/136 FOREIGN PATENTS 768,946 8/1934 France273/12 Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-TheatriceBrown Attorney-Merchant & Gould ABSTRACT: A game or amusement deviceutilizing a game board ordinarily held and operated by a pair ofopposing players or contestants that is made in the form of a flexibleband or sheet having upturned side walls along the edges of the band andhaving one or more holes or pockets located in the band for the purposeof capturing a ball that is jiggled along the flexible band by theactions of the opposing players. The ball is porous or hollow.

PATENTED JAN 1 9 I97! l N VEN Tons ARNOLD MARGOL/J MOP/PAS MARGOL/d F G-CHARLEJ FFOLEY AT TORNEYS FLEXIBLE GAME BOARD WITH BALL OPENINGSBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Games involving game boards provided withholes (with or without accompanying receptacles) adapted to receive,capture or divert balls rolling or bouncing along the surface of thegame board have been known for some time. See, for example:

Aug. 2, 1910 US. Pat. No. 966,091 Heinig et al.

Oct. 21, 1919 US. Pat. No. 1,319,245 Raster Jan. 4, 1921 US Pat. No.1,364,632 Harrington Caeser U.S. Pat. No. 2,492,462

Oct. 30, 1962 U.S. Pat. No. 3,061,312 Glass et al.

For the most part, games of this type have utilized rigid game boards(e.g. wood, cardboard, metal, etc.). However, such game boards arecumbersome and thus expensive to ship and store. By contrast, flexiblegame boards are readily adaptable to compact packaging and arefrequently cheaper to manufacture. However, flexible game boards areoften restricted in use (eg as by requiring one end to be attached to asupport, etc.) and it is difficult to move a ball on a'flexible gameboard without inadvertently permitting the ball to drop from the edge ofthe game board. See, for example, US. Pat. No. 966,091.

Various attempts have been made to improve upon the construction andmethod of operation of flexible game boards and to capitalize upon theadvantageous manufacturing and packaging factors associated with the useof flexible game boards. However, many such attempts have beenunsuccessful. For example, the use of rigid sidewalls firmly attached toa flexible game board effectively prevents the game ball from beinginadvertently dropped from the game board, but at the same time causesthe game board to acquire a degree of rigidity that limits theflexibility of the game board in play and that is not conducive tocompact packaging.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION We have now discovered a form of game board andmethod of use that offers substantial advantages over the prior artdevices of this character, particularly interms of the ability of thegame board to be inexpensively manufactured and compactly packaged (bothadvantages offer significant cost savings).

Briefly described, the game board of the present invention is made of athin, usually rectangular (e.g. feet X 2 feet). sheet of flexiblematerial (e.g. polyethylene film) which serves as the main or playingportion. Upturned sidewalls (e.g. 3 inches high) are attached to theplaying portion along the margin thereof to retain the game ball on theplaying portion, these sidewalls also being formed of flexible material.A lightweight, usually porous or hollow game ball is used. One or moreholes or pockets are formed in the playing portion of the game board.

To play the game, two opposing players grasp the opposite ends of thegame board and hold it between them with the flexible sidewallsstretched so that they stand erect. A light game ball (e.g. a Ping-Pongball) is placed on the game board and each player then attempts tomaneuver the ball against the actions of the opposing players intoselected holes or pockets by jiggling, tilting, or otherwise moving thegame board.

THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is an isometric view of a game board constructedaccording to this invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the game board as shown in FIG. 1 takenalong the lines 2-2.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the game board shown in FIG. 1taken along the lines 3-3.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the game board shown in FIG. 1taken along the lines 4-4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The following description of the invention is madewith reference to the drawings in which like numerals represent likeelements.

One form of the improved game board of this invention is shown inFIG. 1. The game board comprises a playing portion 1 made of a flexiblematerial (e.g. a thin sheet of plastic such as polyethylene film, mylarfilm or the like). Attached to the margin of flexible playing portion 1are upturned side walls 2, 3, 4 and 5 which are also made of flexiblematerial. A plurality of receptacle-lined holes are formed in theplaying portion 1 of the game board. The number, configuration andarrange ment of these holes (6-12) is not critical and they can vary insize, shape, significance, etc. As shown in FIG. 1, holes 6-8 and 10-12are larger than game ball 13 and thus offer capture sites for removablegame ball 13. Hole 9 is smaller than game ball 13 and can be used topreposition game ball 13 to start a game.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the flexible game board shown in FIG. 1 astaken along lines 2-2. In this view, game ball 13 is shown resting inhole 9. Holes 6, 7, and 8 have been fitted with receptacles 14-46respectively These receptacles, in the form of cups, are secured to theflexible playing portion 1 by the coaction of their radially extendingupper lips l7-l9 and elastic bands (e.g. rubber bands) 2022.

The positioning of game ball 13 in starting hole 9 is more clearly shownin FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the flexible game board shownin FIG. 1 taken along lines 4-4. In FIG. 4, the hole 12 (shown inFIG. 1) in the flexible playing portion 1 is filled or lined with a cupor receptacle 23 having an upper radially extending flange or lip 24.This cup has been inserted into hole 12 (shown in FIG. 1) and is held inplace by the action of an elastic band 25 which encircles the exteriorsurface of receptacle 23 immediately below and in contact with flexibleplaying portion 1. The receptacle 23 is of slightly differentconstruction from the receptacles (14-16) of FIG. 2. The receptacle ofFIG. 4 is shallower than the receptacles of FIG. 2 and is provided witha circular lower opening or hole 26 which permits game ball 13 to dropinto cup 23 without the necessity of using a deeper receptacle. Holes 10and 11 can be fitted interchangeably with receptacles 14 or 23.

It is essential that game ball 13 have a low weight/volume ratio toprevent the ball from distorting one of the side walls 2- -5) uponimpact, thereby preventing ball 13 from being dropped from the playingarea 1. Weight/volume ratios of less than 10 pounds/cubic foot(preferably, less than 5 pounds/cubic foot) are desirable. Further, thegame ball should have a radius which is less than the height ofsidewalls 2-5 (e.g. a radius which is less than half of the height ofthe side walls). In general, we have found that solid balls (e.g. a 3inch diameter solid rubber ball) are to heavy. By contrast, we prefer touse balls which are porous (i.e. spongelike or cellular in nature). Theballs which we prefer to use are those having more than 50 percent,desirably more than 75 percent (preferably more than percent) of theirapparent volume being voids. The game ball 13 of FIG. 3 is shown inpartial cross section to illustrate its cellular structure, whichincludes pores 13'. Typically preferably, the pore 13' size of suchballs will exceed 2 mm in diameter, more usually exceed 5 mm in diameter(e.g. exceed 10 mm in diameter). Hollow balls (e.g. Ping-Pong balls),sponge balls, and cellular balls (e.g. made of cellular polystyrenefoam) are particularly useful in conjunction with this game.

Any flexible material can be sued for the construction of game boardsaccording to this invention. Suitable materials include cloth andplastic film. Materials which are completely flexible and normallyincapable of self-support (i.e. not rigid) are preferred. The preferredflexible materials can be characterized as limp" and capable of beingcompactly packaged as by folding, rolling, and so forth. Heat-scalableplastic films (e.g. 3-20 mils thick) are especially preferred because oftheir low cost and ease of fabrication.

To play a game with the game board just described, a pair of opposingplayers will ordinarily grasp the opposite ends of the game board (e.g.as by each person grasping the two corners at his end of the gameboard). The players then stretch the game board between them so that thesidewalls stand erect. A playing or game ball 13 is placed in startinghole 9 (e.g. marked start"). The two players then jiggle the game boardto jar the game ball into one of the other holes (e.g. holes 6- 8) byjiggling, tilting or otherwise moving the game board, all against theactions of the opposing player who will typically be seeking tomaneuever the ball 13 into a different set of holes. Ordinarily, theholes will be marked with different in dicia (e.g. two different colors)so that each player will score points only when the ball is dropped intoone of the holes marked with his colors. Any convenient scoring methodcan be sued. For example, each time the ball drops though a particularhole, the players assigned the color of that hole will receive thenumber of points marked at the edge of the hole.

Many variations of this gameare possible. For example, the number ofholes can be changed as well as their positions. Also, the game can bestarted by simply dropping the ball (or a plurality of balls) on theplaying surface without the necessity of having a starting hole. Thesize of the ball can be changed to make it more or less difficult todrop the ball through the holes. Finally, the size of holes can bechanged and the scoring varied according to the difficulty involved indropping the ball through the hole. Although the present invention hasbeen described with a certain degree of particularity, it will berealized that numerous changes and variations will be suggestedto oneskilled in the art.

The term porous" as used herein is used in its broadest sense andintended to include both closed and open cellular constructions; and forexample, a Ping Pong ball is viewed herein as a porous" ball having alarge center pore or cell.

We claim:

1. Games which comprise:

a game board which includes an unsupported flexible playing portionbeing essentially incapable of self-support and having edges;

flexible sidewalls attached to the edges of said playing portion andnormally in an unerected condition relative to said playing portion,said sidewalls being capable of erection to an upturned position whenthe sidewalls and playing portion are stretched; and 7 one or moreopenings in the playing portion; and

a game ball to be moved on the playing portion of said game board, saidgame ball having a weight/volume ratio that is low enough to permit theupturned sidewalls to retain the game ball on the playing area when thegame ball is rolled orjiggled on the playing portion.

2. Games of claim 1 wherein the playing portion and the sidewalls of thegame board are formed from plastic film, and said game ball is porous,the pore size exceeds 2 mm in diame ter, and the radius of the ball isless than the height of the upturned sidewalls.

3. Games of claim 1 wherein the playing portion of the game board isrectangular.

4. Games of claim [wherein the playing portion and the sidewalls of thegame board are formed of a limp material.

5. Games of claim 4 wherein the paying portion of the game board isprovided with a plurality of receptacles for the openings.

6.- Games of claim 5 wherein said receptacles are cups held in place bythe coaction of;

a. radially extending lips 'orflanges on said cups which rest on top ofsaid playing portion; and

b. elastic bands encircling said cups immediately below and in contactwith the bottom of said playing portion. 7. Games of claim 6, whereinthe game ball has a flexible sidewalls attached to the edges of saidplaying portion and normally in an unerected position relative to saidplayingportion, said sidewalls being capable of erection to an upturnedposition when the sidewalls or playing portion are stretched; and one ormore cap lined-holes in the playing portion, said cups being held inplace by the coaction of radially extending lips or flanges on said cupswhich rest on top of said play ing portion; and elastic bands encirclingsaid cups immediately below and in contact with the bottom of saidplaying portion. 9. Game boards of claim 8 wherein the bottom of one ormore of said cups is provided with a circular opening or hole.

1. Games which comprise: a game board which includes an unsupportedflexible playing portion being essentially incapable of self-support andhaving edges; flexible sidewalls attached to the edges of said playingportion and normally in an unerected condition relative to said playingportion, said sidewalls being capable of erection to an upturnedposition when the sidewalls and playing portion are stretched; and oneor more openings in the playing portion; and a game ball to be moved onthe playing portion of said game board, said game ball having aweight/volume ratio that is low enough to permit the upturned sidewallsto retain the game ball on the playing area when the game ball is rolledor jigGled on the playing portion.
 2. Games of claim 1 wherein theplaying portion and the sidewalls of the game board are formed fromplastic film, and said game ball is porous, the pore size exceeds 2 mmin diameter, and the radius of the ball is less than the height of theupturned sidewalls.
 3. Games of claim 1 wherein the playing portion ofthe game board is rectangular.
 4. Games of claim 1 wherein the playingportion and the sidewalls of the game board are formed of a limpmaterial.
 5. Games of claim 4 wherein the paying portion of the gameboard is provided with a plurality of receptacles for the openings. 6.Games of claim 5 wherein said receptacles are cups held in place by thecoaction of: a. radially extending lips or flanges on said cups whichrest on top of said playing portion; and b. elastic bands encirclingsaid cups immediately below and in contact with the bottom of saidplaying portion.
 7. Games of claim 6 wherein the game ball has aweight/volume ratio of less than 5 pounds/cubic foot, a pore size thatexceeds 5 mm in diameter and radius which is less than half the heightof the sidewalls.
 8. Game boards which comprise: an unsupported flexibleplaying portion being essentially incapable of self-support and havingedges; flexible sidewalls attached to the edges of said playing portionand normally in an unerected position relative to said playing portion,said sidewalls being capable of erection to an upturned position whenthe sidewalls or playing portion are stretched; and one or more caplined holes in the playing portion, said cups being held in place by thecoaction of radially extending lips or flanges on said cups which reston top of said playing portion; and elastic bands encircling said cupsimmediately below and in contact with the bottom of said playingportion.
 9. Game boards of claim 8 wherein the bottom of one or more ofsaid cups is provided with a circular opening or hole.